Modern Beauty and the Beast
by AKFicChick
Summary: A modern retelling of the story of Beauty and the Beast with some slight changes .
1. Prologue

**-Prologue-**

Adam LaFleur smiled and winked at the receptionist behind the counter. She blushed and managed a smile of her own before turning her head down and answering the phone.

As he made his way up in the elevator to his office, he outright laughed at his good fortune. It was 1950 and he was on top of the world as one of the richest men on earth. He had everything he could ever want. Money, cars, women, houses all over the country, and so many friends he could barely remember all their names. Life was great.

The elevator doors opened and Adam stepped out and headed towards his embarrassingly large office. When he opened the door and walked in he discovered a cute little number sitting in a chair before his desk.

At the sound of his footsteps the woman stood and turned. It was Grace, this latest woman. She was head over heels for him and he knew it. He liked the thought of a woman who would do anything he told her to. He was very much inclined to keep this one for a few more weeks before moving on to the next gal.

"Grace," Adam said as he took the woman's hand and pulled her to him. He gave her a long, slow kiss and then released her. "What can I do for you hon?"

"I want to know what this is all about!" she cried as she threw a handful of pictures at him.

Adam chuckled and gave Grace a sideways look as he bent down to pick up the pictures. He rifled through them. Each one had him necking with one woman after another. There was Claudia last Thursday. Suzette on Wednesday. Mary on Saturday. He kept his smile from showing as he thought of those nights.

"What were you doing with them?"

"Gracie, sweetheart, you know it's nothing serious. I have an image to uphold. None of them meant anything to me. None of them make me feel the way you do." Throwing the pictures into the chair Grace had vacated, Adam took the woman into his arms and cuddled her close, stroking her beautiful, blond hair.

She struggled against him and then managed to push him away. "What is your image when you say you love me? It shouldn't matter what everyone else thinks. All you have to do is tell them you're in love with me and that's why you don't entertain all these other…these other…tramps!"

"Grace, come on now." He reached out for her as he thought about it. Love, what a stupid notion. He'd doted on her and took her out, he'd even managed to get her into bed with him, but he didn't love her. He'd never loved anyone in his entire life. Not even his parents. They'd lefts him in the streets when he was just a kid, not able to fend for himself, all because he was another mouth to feed. He snorted inwardly. Why did women always think that because a man gave them gifts meant he loved them? They're such stupid creatures.

"No I won't 'come on now!'" she yelled. "My friends warned me about you but I didn't listen. I thought they were all wrong! You were so nice and caring, I thought that maybe everyone only saw one side of you in public. But now I know there iis/i only one side to you. You're a creep! That's all you are. You lie, cheat, and I'll bet you even steal, how else could you have kept your company floating for so long?" She stood there, her entire body shaking with her anger.

Suddenly she pulled something from her clutch purse. It was a brown bottle, the size of her palm. She pulled out the cork and threw the contents on Adam.

"What the hell woman!" Adam yelled as he grabbed out his handkerchief and started rubbing the stinking liquid off his face. When he was mostly dry he looked over at Grace, she was standing there, muttering something he couldn't understand.

Then his stomach began to cramp. He doubled over in pain. His hand lashed out and grabbed the back of the chair for support. "What the hell did you throw on me," he choked out as his knees gave way, his one hand still clutching the chair.

"Adam LaFleur, from this day onward you will be what you are; a beast! Everyone will see your hideousness. There will be no more women and no more success. No one will want to even think of you!" She threw the bottle down and it shattered on the marble floor.

"I'm sorry!" he growled, startling himself with his new voice.

This made Grace stop just before she opened the door. Turning, she looked at Adam and her heart wrenched. She had loved him. Didn't she know some of his past? Didn't she know that such a horrible childhood could only produce something so horrible? Was it really all his fault?

With a small sigh Grace returned to Adam and stood over him. "Because I'm not as horrible as you are, I will give you until the turn of the century to find someone who will love you despite the way you look. Someone who must love you, knowing that you look awful because you are awful. You must truly love them and they must truly love you in return or else by the time the clock strikes midnight on the eve of the of the new century, you will stay this way forever." With that she turned and left the room, her footfalls echoing achingly inside Adam's heart.

When she had gone and Adam had finally recovered himself, he looked at his hands. The one still gripping the chair had managed to rip through the leather upholstery with its new claws. The one on the floor had gouged deep lines in the smooth stone.

Footsteps coming towards his office. Adam jumped up, surprised by his agility, and ran to cut the lights and close the blinds.

Someone knocked on the door. "Come in," he said, his voice deep and gravelly now. The door opened slowly.

"Um, sir?" his secretary said from the doorway. "Are you alright? Why is it so dark in here? Let me turn on some lights."

"No!" his voice boomed in the cavernous room, making the woman jump. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. I-I have a headache and the lights hurt my eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sir. Well here are the reports you wanted."

"Leave them there."

"O-on the floor, sir?"

"Yes! And send Harold to me, I'd like to speak with him."

"Alright, sir." She left, the door clicking shut behind her.

It was ten minutes before Harold entered the office. He came halfway to the chairs before Adam's desk and stopped. Something didn't seem right.

"Are you feeling okay, Adam?"

"I'm fine. I need you to do something."

"Ok, what is it?"

"I need to get away for a while. I need to go someplace remote, where no one will be able to find me."

"Any place you have in mind?"

"Alaska?"

"You've got to be joking! It's gotta be freezing up there right now. Don't you want some place warmer?"

"No! I want you to buy as many men as you can and send them up there to build me a house. It's got to be close to, but still far away from civilization. I don't want to be bothered. I want this house built in the next two weeks."

"But, sir-"

"Do it!" he yelled, scaring Harold into action.

"Yes sir!"


	2. Chapter 1

_This is a short chapter. I wanted to cut it off where I did because it's more suspenseful. Hope you like my intro of Belle. If you've never heard of a Malamute, I suggest you go look it up, they're big, beautiful dogs._

**Chapter 1 -50 Years Later-**

"Denali come back here!" Belle screamed at her oversized Malamute. The dog stopped and turned, his tail waving wildly, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. He broke out into a run, his legs extending as far as they could go. "No, Denali! No!" she cried as the dog came rocketing towards her. She braced herself for impact. Denali leapt through the air, landing on Belle and knocking her over. The leaves she had raked earlier plumed into the air as she landed in them.

Denali was certainly the right name for this dog. Belle had learned that it wad Athabaskan for "the big one." Mostly it was used to refer to a mountain that had been named Mt. McKinley by the white explorers.

"Get off me you monster," Belle laughed as she shoved the dog off her. She had raised Denali from a pup. Her father figured letting her get a dog would work as an apology after he told her they were moving to the bush.

It was three years ago when her father lost most of his money on a get rich quick scheme. Losing the money started him on a mid-life crisis. He figured the only way to go was to live off the land as much as possible. They sold everything but the bare essentials and Belle was hauled off into the Alaskan wilderness.

Before, her days were spent with friends, watching TV, going to movies. Anything a normal teenager did, she did. Now she was stuck chopping wood, scrubbing clothes, gardening, and so many other chores needed to help survive.

Every month they received a shipment of goods from the nearest town, but Belle's father refused to give into temptation and get anything even remotely unnecessary. Today was the day that a new shipment would come in. Her father would leave soon, taking Denali with him, to make his way to the bush plane. He never allowed Belle to go with him. It wasn't fair. This bush plane had other shipments on it. Others would make their way to the small landing strip to get their things. It was her one way to meet people and she wasn't even allowed to go.

Thinking about being stuck in a log cabin, separated from any society she might get out here, Belle groaned angrily and kicked at the leaves in which she was standing. Denali whined, his head cocked to one side.

"It's okay, Denali," Belle soothed him. "I'll be fine."

The door to the cabin opened at that moment and Belle's father came out. She could tell he'd trimmed his beard and put on a clean pair of pants and two layers of shirts. He sat down on a wood stump outside the door and finished tying his boots. Denali ran up to him and immediately began licking his face, his tag making his entire body wiggle.

"Stop it, dog!" he said as he nudged Denali to one side. Denali sat, his tail still swishing in the grass and dirt underneath him. "So I'll be back before dark," he said as he stood. "Keep the gun close by and I want that knife attached to your belt."

"Daaad," Belle whined. "We've been living here for three years, we get a shipment every month, how many times do you think I've done this? I know what I need to do."

"I just like to remind you." He kissed her forehead. "Go ahead and go inside and lock the door. If anything happens give me a call on the satellite phone."

"Alright. Be safe, dad." She waved as her father walked off into the woods down the same trampled path he always took. She went inside as soon as he was out of sight.

Inside, Belle brought the fire to a fresh blaze, grabbed her quilt wrap, and cuddled up on the couch with a thick book. Books were the only thing her father allowed. He loved them and felt they were a necessity. The cabin was full of them. Stacks lying anywhere they could find to put them. Belle's newest project was making a shelf to hold them all, then they'd have more room to move in the tiny cabin.

An hour into reading, Belle began to nod off. The book fell to the floor when she'd completely fallen asleep, her arm sliding off her chest.

Suddenly the satellite phone began fizzing. Belle opened her eyes and looked around. Her head was groggy but she was able to recognize the black through the windows, telling her it was dark. When her head cleared, she realized the phone was on. She ran to it, her heart racing. Her father never called her over the phone. Something must have happened.

"Dad?" Belle said into the phone and waited. There was no answer, only the same fizzing noises broken with cracks and pops. "Dad, are you there?" Still no response.

A high pitch noise broke through the fizz, canceling out all other noise. Belle dropped the phone and covered her ears. Suddenly she heard barking. It was Denali and he sounded scared. Bell uncovered her ears and picked up the phone, holding it close to her face.

"Dad!" she cried into the phone. "Dad, answer me!" More barking then, suddenly, a sound Belle had never heard in her life. If she had to describe it, she'd say it sounded like a roar from a monster in the horror movies her friends loved so much.

She threw the phone onto the couch, the roar startling her. "What the ihell/i was that?" she said breathlessly, her body shaking from the fright.


	3. Chapter 2

buChapter 3/b/u

Her teeth were chattering despite the warmth from the wood stove and the thick quilt wrapped around her shoulders. Belle sat on the couch, the satellite phone on the other end, still crackling and fizzing.

It had been hours since she heard the roar over the phone. Her thoughts raced with terrifying situations that her father could be in. As she sat there, tired but oddly awake, something began scratching on the front door. Belle screamed and threw herself against the back wall, as far away as she could from the door. The scratching continued and Belle began frantically checking to be sure she had her knife. It was in its holder shoved into her pants pocket.

Standing up, she pulled the knife out and walked towards the door. She stopped by a window and peeked through the curtains. Denali stood outside, his paw raised to the door.

Belle flung the door open and Denali came rushing in, throwing himself on her. She hugged him close as he whined and shook in her arms.

"What happened to you, boy," she said as she scratched him behind the ears and then hugged him again.

Belle still didn't sleep as the day grew brighter. Her thoughts were of her father and his well-being. By nightfall she decided she would go and find her father. Denali would help her find him and keep her safe if anything happened. She'd get her sleep tonight and then set out in the morning.

Her sleep was fitful. All night she dreamed of a horrific monster tearing at her father, eventually killing him. It didn't matter how many times she woke up, calmed down, and went back to sleep, the nightmare started over, this time showing a different way her father was killed by the beast.

When morning came, Belle was relieved to go. Denali didn't want to leave the cabin but Belle put his harness and leash on, to better control him. She slung her bag over her shoulder and headed out.

They started down the usual trail, heading towards the landing area for the bush planes. Soon, though, Denali led her away from the trail. "Why did dad take this way?" she mumbled quietly. As they walked at a steady pace, Belle soon realized that the woods were becoming thicker. More and more spruce trees grew and it was hard to see what was around her.

Glad that she had thought to wear her jacket, Belle shoved prickly branches away from her, the thick, denim material keeping her from getting stuck a thousand times. By the time she could barely see through the dense forest, Denali stopped at a tree and whined, scratching at the ground with a paw. Belle walked over to investigate.

Dirt and tree debris covered something lying on the forest floor. She brushed it off and gasped when she saw her father's satellite phone. It was mangled. Pieces of it lay scattered in the underbrush. Carefully, she picked up all the pieces she could find, not knowing why, but feeling like she must. As she stared at the bits and pieces in her palms, Denali sniffing them, still whining, she felt a cold trickle into her chest. She would find her father and make sure she got him home, no matter what his condition.

It had begun to get cold what felt like an hour after Belle had found the pieces of her father's phone. She'd already pulled out a winter undershirt and put it on under her regular clothes. Now, what seemed like a lifetime later, the cold seeped through the fine holes in her garments, making her chest rattle, trying to keep her warm.

With a groan she sat against one of the few birch trees that grew in the thick spruce tree forest. Leaning her head back against the bark she sighed. Denali sat against her and stuck his nose to her cheek, letting out a worried sigh of his own.

"Don't worry," she told him as she ruffled the fur on his neck. "We'll find him."

Before she could stop herself, her eyelids drooped and she fell asleep. Denali pawed at her and nudged her body, only causing her to fall over; she would not wake. The dog tried again to get her to wake up but soon his movements began to slow and he laid down next to the girl and closed his eyes

~*~*~

"I found her asleep in the woods."

Adam turned in his chair and looked at what his butler was talking about. In the tall man's arms was a girl. Her brown hair hung limply and one arm hung in the air her fingers dangling seeming lifeless.

"There was a dog as well, sir," the man continued. "It is unconscious as well."

"A dog?" Adam said, his voice coming out in a growl.

"Yes. It was a Malamute, I believe."

Adam stood and walked over to the man. He peered down at the girl, ignoring his butler's nervousness at being in such close proximity to him. "She's not as young as I thought," she whispered to himself. As he examined her, he realized she was still young but seemed older than a teenager. "Take her to the guest room and lock the door when you leave. Then go tell the cook she has someone to look after now."

"Yes, sir." The man turned to go then stopped. Turning back towards his boss he asked, "And what about the man, sir?"

"I'll deal with him later. Make sure you lock the door to her room," he said again. "I can't have her waking up and wondering around and accidentally bumping into me."

"Would you like it if I sat outside her door just to be safe, sir?"

"That's a good idea. Well, no, wait." He paused as he thought. "Have your son sit by the door instead, I'll still need you."

"Alright, sir." Finally, the man turned away and found his way to the guest bedroom down one of the many halls of the ridiculously-sized house. He managed to open the door and laid the girl on the bed. Before he left he stared at her. Maybe this was an answer to his prayers. If she was here, then maybe she could break the spell and he'd be able to go back to his hometown and take his wife and son with him. If he was able to leave, he'd also find that woman who placed the spell on Adam and put her in her place. She couldn't have had any idea that anyone involved with Adam after the spell was in place would never grow old. If he had to spend eternity with a monster he was going to try and kill himself.

This girl was his last chance. It was only a few months to the new year and the new century. Adam had given up long ago in trying to break the spell. Instead, he'd fallen into self-pity and depression that quickly turned to rage if anyone bothered him too much. Yes, he would make sure this girl would be the one. It was time to get out of this hell hole.


	4. Chapter 3

_**Sorry for the long delay in posting anything on any of my fanfictions. I tend to get preoccupied with my more original stories and then daily life comes into play and that has been hectic lately. Chapter 5 should be along soon, with any luck. I've gotten through a tiny block, not sure how long this will last. Five will be about the dinner, obviously. Not exactly sure how I want it to go, so we'll see. Don't expect anything too soon, though. Just saying it could be sooner than normal. _

_Thanks for being so patient everyone. To those who read this as well as my other fictions, sorry I haven't updated the others in so long. I'm more likely to update Nightingale before I update No Glitch of the Heart. Sorry. Enjoy this chapter, I know it's not very exciting, but at least it's something. Thanks. **_

**Chapter 4**

Her head swam as her eyes began to flutter open. Belle put her hand to her head, or tried to but missed and hit something cold and hard behind her. She lay there for a moment longer, letting herself wake up, regaining some composure.

When, at last, she felt less dizzy, she sat up and looked around. The room was dark, only a small oil lamp shone on a nightstand by the bed. The bed was large enough for four, full grown adults. Turning, she saw the large headboard behind her. Above her was a canopy with ruffled edges hanging limply down.

She breathed deep and slow, coughing as she inhaled the musty odor. Suddenly, she remembered what had happened. She'd fallen asleep in the woods while searching for her father. How'd she get into a bedroom?

Now she looked around more frantically. There was the door to her left. Under it, light seeped through. She saw a shadow outside, holding perfectly still. Was someone out there, keeping her in? She got up, quietly and carefully so as not to make a noise. Going over to the door, she pressed her ear against it and listened hard. There seemed to be more than one person in the house. Belle heard clanging echo through the hallway towards the room. The sounds reminded her of someone rummaging around in a kitchen.

Suddenly, a noise from outside her door nearly made her gasp. Whoever was outside shifted and sighed heavily. They must have been there a while. Belle took a step back from the door and hit a lump in the large rug that lay there. She fell backwards, slamming into the floor with her back, bumping her head in the process.

The person outside came to life and began unlocking the door. When it opened, light spilled into the room, causing Belle to squint as her eyes adjusted.

"Are you alright?" a boy's voice floated down to her.

When she was able to open her eyes all the way, Belle saw a boy who looked to be about thirteen years old. His dirt-brown hair fell into his eyes, which were the same color. He helped her up and she brushed herself off then looked at him again.

"You okay?" he asked again.

"Yeah, but my backside is killing me now."

He stared at her, eyes wide with curiosity. "How old are you?" he asked.

"Huh?" she replied, confused by his question.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-one," she finally replied.

"Must be nice," he sighed, looking away from her.  
"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing!" he quickly added. "So you're alright?"

"Yeah, but where am I?" She turned around and took in the room once more. Then, turning back to the boy she asked, "And how did I get here?"

He fidgeted some, not meeting her eyes. Suddenly he went to the door and looked both ways then came back, shutting the door behind him. "My father found you in the woods about a mile away from here. He brought you here to recover."

"Yeah, but where is 'here'? Is this your house?"

"No. This place belongs to my master-"

"Master?" Belle asked, feeling somewhat outraged.

"Well, my father and mother work for him, as do I. We have for as long as I can remember."

"Yeah but why are you calling him master? It's not like you're slaves." When she noticed the boy's nervous movements, she grew suspicious. "Look, what's going on here? I was out looking for my father and I happened to find his phone not far from where I fell asleep. I want some answers." She placed her hands on her hips for emphasis.

"Well…" he hesitated, his eyes darting around the room. "Alright," he sighed and leaned in. "My master is-"

"Trevor!" a man's voice called out angrily. "Trevor where the hell are you?"

The boy, Trevor, winced. "I have to go." Just as he turned around, the door opened and a man stood there. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, his dark brown hair combed neatly back. He wore a pair of dark gray slack, shiny black shoes, a white button-up shirt, and a lighter gray vest with red pinstripes on it.

"Trevor what-" he stopped when he saw the girl. "Excuse me, miss," he said politely with a slight bow of his head. "I hope you'll forgive my profanity. My son, Trevor, is need in the kitchen." He gave his son a stern look that sent the boy racing from the room, after a quick, apologetic nod to Belle. "I hope you don't mind the accommodations, this room hasn't been used in quite some time and we didn't have the time to air it out."

"No, it's alright. Uh, your son said that you found me in the woods."

"That's right."

"Well I wanted to thank you and ask you if you found a dog as well." She looked at him hopefully.

"I did, miss. He is well taken care of. I believe my wife is feeding him scraps in the kitchen as we speak. She hasn't had a pet in quite some time." A small smile passed over his lips as he spoke.

"Did you, by any chance, see an older man in the woods around here about a day or so ago?"

"A man, miss?"

"Yes. You see, I got lost in the woods while looking for my father. He went missing some time ago. I happened upon his broken satellite phone near where you found me. I was hoping maybe you found him as well."

He took his time answering. "I'm sorry, miss, but I don't believe I've seen another living soul except those that live here and you."

"Oh," she replied quietly.

"But don't worry," he said cheerily. "I'm sure he can't be too far from here if his phone was near about. I'd be happy to tell the master to keep an eye out. I will make sure to keep watch, too." He started to turn and leave but stopped and turned around again. "Forgive me, I nearly forgot what I had come here to tell you. Dinner is nearly ready and the master would like to meet you. He has invited you to eat with him tonight. I'll send Trevor to fetch you when it's ready. Until then, I suggest you take use of the wash basin my wife brought in for you while you slept. The water might be cold, so I apologize, but it's all we have at the moment." With that he bowed his head quickly and left the room, shutting, and locking, the door behind him.

The lock clicking into place made Belle even more wary. The man was talking to her as if she was a guest, but he treated her as if she were a prisoner. What was really going on here?

"Simon, she's not some little toy you can play with," the man's wife chided. "She's a human girl with thoughts and feelings. You have to tell her that her father is here and is well."

"I can't do that, Rose," Simon replied as he pulled out the dishes and utensils for dinner. "This is our chance to get out of here. If we can get her to break the spell then we're free to leave! We can go home and live like we were supposed to. Trevor can finally grow up and find a wife of his own. You see how lonely he's become. He's a man trapped in a boy's body. And look at us! You and I should be sitting on a porch, barely able to move, being taken care of by some crotchety nurse! I stepped up for this work thinking it would be easy and that we wouldn't be here for long. LaFleur pays well. I thought we'd have a nice little nest egg decades ago and we could leave. Had I known he intended on living out on the middle of nowhere I would never have taken this job!"

Simon sat down hard on a stool and put his face in his hands. Rose came to him and wrapped her arms around him. "I know this hard on us, but it's cruel to make the girl worry. And you see how terrible Adam has gotten over the years. Can we really ask such a young child to give up her life to such a horrible man? He's probably use her to break the curse and once that was done, he'd throw her away like all those other women. You know it's what got him into this mess. I can't play around with someone's heart. I won't do it," she said gently.

Simon tensed under his wife's arms. "Rose, if you don't do this for me- for us –then I'm going to try and release us from this any other way I can." His tone was soft and serious.

Rose back away from her husband slowly, her heart in her throat. "Simon, you can't mean-"

"I do. I don't know if we can die, but dammit I'm going to try if I can't do this the easy way. The girl is young, she'll get over this eventually. She'll move on and find someone else. But us, what do we have left if she doesn't do this? The new year will come and the spell will be set. How do we know that once that happens, we won't get trapped in the spell with Adam? What if we get trapped and become immortal? What if we can't die after the new year? If we have this chance, I want to take it!" Simon had taken Rose's hands in his. Now he squeezed them and looked desperately into the woman's eyes. "Please, Rose. I can't live like this anymore. I can't see you slaving to make this beast's meals. I can't see Trevor grow more and more bitter with each year that passes. I know you've noticed it. He's not been happy since his thirtieth birthday."

"Alright. Alright!" Rose exclaimed. "I'll go along with this. For Trevor. You're right that the girl has plenty of time to get over what may happen." She sighed heavily. "But you better work quick."

"Thank you, Rose!" He stood and kissed his wife passionately, causing her to giggle. When he pulled back, he was smiling like he hadn't in decades. "We'll be free before new years."


	5. Chapter 4

buChapter 4/b/u

The clock ticked loudly, each sound hurting Adam's sensitive ears. He paid no mind to the slight pain because he'd grown used to hearing that sound over the years. The silence in this part of his home always made the ticking louder anyway.

He looked at the clock. The hands read a quarter to six. Dinner was almost ready, he could smell it. His chest tightened and his stomach began to roll ever so slightly.

"Why am I so nervous?" he said low to himself.

Just then, Simon walked into the room, bowing his head slightly for Adam. "Rose will have dinner out in a moment. You still want the girl to eat with you?"

"Yes," Adam replied, clearing his throat. At least, he thought he still did. What if it was a mistake? For some strange reason he was allowing himself to hope again. His time was almost up and suddenly this girl...no, this young woman came into his life. Maybe this was-

"You're positive? She could be just the right one to break the spell. Maybe her seeing you would-"

"Don't talk about the damned curse!" Adam roared. "Who am I kidding?" He stood, shoving the chair back and knocking it over. "She can eat alone! I don't want her here for long. Send her away in the morning!"

"But sir-"

"DO IT!" Adam fled from the room, throwing things out of his way as he ran recklessly back to his room on the third floor.

The dinner table was empty of anyone else when Belle was shown into the room. There were settings for two people, though, so maybe someone would join her in a little bit. Trevor pulled out the chair for her with a solemn look on is face that Belle didn't think matched his age. She smiled at him and thanked him as she sat.

Shortly after Trevor left the room, a woman looking to be in her early thirties came into the room with two dishes of food. Trevor's father followed behind with two more dishes and Trevor came back with a bowl filled with rolls. The food was sat in front of her and Belle thanked them.

The woman smiled down at Belle. "Hello young lady," she said cordially. "My name is Rose. I'm the cook and the housekeeper around here. I hear you've met my son and my husband."

"Oh, yes I did," Belle answered. "Though I didn't get your husband's name." Belle looked at the man.

"Terribly sorry, miss," he said. "You can call me Simon. I'm the butler as well as most everything else in this house."

"How many people work here?" she asked.

"There's a gardener and that's it," Simon replied.

"I see." Belle paused and looked at the food. It all looked delicious. There was a glazed ham, boiled potatoes with butter melted over them, green beans, rolls, and broccoli with a cheese sauce on top.

"Oh don't let us keep you from eating," said Rose. "You must be starving! Here," she said and began to pile Belle's plate with food. "I'll bring dessert out in exactly twenty minutes. Enjoy!" And with that, Rose ushered her husband and son from the room, leaving Belle alone with an awfully loud clock and too much food.

She ate a few bites but couldn't bring herself to eat much more. Her mind was on her father and Denali. What had happened to them? And where was the man who owned this great house? Simon had told her he'd wanted to meet her at dinner but she was still sitting alone.

When Rose came back into the dining room, exactly twenty minutes later, she saw that Belle hadn't eaten very much. She set a rather large custard pie on the table and turned to Belle.

"Are you not as hungry as I thought?" she asked.

"Well, I thought I was hungry, but I guess not," Belle answered quietly, looking at her food. "It was delicious, though, thank you very much."

"Oh well, I suppose. At least I know you have room for dessert." She removed Belle's dinner plate and served her a slice of the custard. "My own family recipe. Even if you're not hungry I know you won't be able to resist eating the entire piece." Standing back, she looked on as Belle picked up a clean fork and took a bite of the dessert. It was indeed incredibly delicious and Belle found herself hurrying to take another bite.

"See!" Rose said happily. She patted Belle on the shoulder before she began to gather up what was left of the food.

"Wait," Belle said, putting her fork down. "Isn't your boss going to eat?"

For a moment Rose looked at the empty seat at the opposite end of the table. "I'm sorry, dear, but the master suddenly had a headache and was unable to make it down to eat. I've already taken him his food to his room. Didn't someone tell you?"

"No," Belle said, looking down at her dessert.

"Hmph. I'm going to have to take a spoon to that son of mine. I told him to let you know. Well I'm sorry you had to eat alone. I'm sure you'll meet the master at breakfast." She began to take the food away when Belle stopped her again.

"Do you know if a dog was brought in with me?"

"A dog?"

"Yes. A great big one." Belle motioned with her arms how tall and wide the dog was.

"Not that I know of. I'll ask my husband. He's the one who brought you in. If there was a dog with you it would be in the kennels out back."

"Thank you," Belle said and Rose smiled and finally took the dishes away.

Later, after Belle had finished her dessert, Trevor was there to escort her back to her room. Before he closed the door, Belle turned to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I asked your mother earlier about a dog. I had one with me when I was in the woods. She said she'd ask your father about it. Did they say anything to you?"

Trevor thought for a moment and then shook his head. "I haven't heard anything," he answered.

"Oh." Belle frowned and started to turn away.

"But I thought I saw my dad carrying something out towards the back of the house earlier."

She turned back to Trevor, a hopeful smile on her face. "Did you see what it was?"

"Not really, but it had a lot of fur. Maybe it was your dog."

"Your mother said if my dog was here, he'd be in the kennels. Could you possibly take me there?"

The look on Trevor's face was one of fear and Belle thought again that something wasn't right. "No, I'm sorry. I'm not allowed near the kennels." The door was shut before Belle could say anything else. Then she heard the lock click into place. Below the door, she saw Trevor's shadow walk out of sight.


	6. Chapter 5

buChapter 5/b/u

Belle paced the room for over an hour trying to think of what to do. She had been told she was a guest here and treated hospitably but they kept her locked in her room. Something was off about Trevor and the way they all called the owner of the house their master; it was all so disconcerting. The feeling that they all knew where her dog and father were was also tugging at her brain.

She had to get to the kennels to see if Denali was there. She would feel much better with her dog. But how was she going to get out of her room? Pacing the floor a few minutes more gave her an idea. The window was curtained so Belle pulled the fabric aside, coughing when dust hit her full in the face.

Her heart sank when she saw that she was on the second floor and very far away from the ground. With a sigh she turned away from the window and leaned her hip against the sill. With her arms crossed over her chest she scanned the room. Something had to give her another idea.

Then she had it! Immediately she ran to the bed and ripped the sheets from it. Next came the curtains, making her cough some more and sneeze. She tied the ends together and frowned when she saw it wasn't very long. Off came her jacket and she tied one sleeve to the end of the makeshift rope. It still wasn't very long, but maybe it would be just long enough. She figured she could stand to jump down a few feet to the ground without causing any serious injury.

One end of the rope went around the closest bedpost to the window. Opening the window, she slowly let the rope down and sat that she'd have to jump down about seven feet. She gulped. If she landed well enough, she'd only twist an ankle. Taking a deep breath, she climbed through the window and lowered herself down the rope.

At the end she dangled there, her arms fully extended, as she surveyed the ground below. She hoped it was softer than it looked. One tiny silent prayer and she let go, preparing her knees to bend at the right moment to absorb some of the shock. The ground came sooner than she thought and sure enough, her right ankle twisted. She bit back the cry from the pain and began limping off to find the kennels.

Luckily the trees had been thinned out around the house and the moon was large and high. It didn't take her long to find a group of pens set far back from the house. They were all empty, except one. Running as fast as she could with one fully functional foot, Belle made her way to the occupied kennel.

There was Denali, curled into a ball and sound asleep. "Denali!" Belle whispered. She watched as the dogs nose began to twitch and then his tail thumped the ground as he opened his eyes and lifted his head. He got up, stretched, and trotted over to the door. Belle stuck her fingers through the chain and brushed Denali's nose and he licked her.

"How are you boy?" she cooed and the dog moved to allow her access to his ears so she could scratch behind them. Chuckling quietly she fund the latch to the kennel and opened the door. Denali came bounding out, his tail wagging so hard it looked like a propeller.

"Ssshh! We have to get out of here. Come on." She grabbed his collar and started back around the house.

Just as she was passing by a row of windows, a light flared in one, stopping Belle in her tracked. She waited, her breath held, for the person to leave the room. It felt like forever had passed and still the person hadn't gone. With a sigh, Belle turned around and started for the other side of the large home.

To get around the other side, she had to pass through a very large garden. Halfway through, a sweet smell caught Belle's attention. She turned and saw the biggest, most beautiful roses she'd ever seen. Her fingers slipped from Denali's collar as she made her way over to them, unable to resist putting her nose to one of the biggest roses.

She breathed deep the sweet scent and felt calm. This would be lovely to have in her meager flower garden, but she knew roses wouldn't last the winter outside. So she lingered a while longer, enjoying the wonderful smell.

"What are you doing out here?" came a deep, gravelly voice. It startled Belle and Denali whimpered and backed away, his tail between his legs. When Belle didn't answer the voice spoke again. "I said, what are you doing out here? Who let you out?"

She looked around and saw the moonlight glint off something that quickly moved out of the light. "N-no one let me out. I escaped."

There came a deep rumble that Belle took to be a laugh. "Escaped? Why would you need to escape?"

"Because I was locked in my room, that's why," she replied, her courage bubbling to the surface.

"And where do you plan to go?"

"Home."

"And you will find your way back, how?" He had her there. Belle had no idea which way was home. At her silence, the laugh came again. "Just as I thought. Had you waited until morning, you would have been sent on your way in the right direction. There was no need for escaping."

"Who are you?" Belle demanded and she took a step closer. There came a growl as she did so, making her stop.

"I am the master here."

"So it's you who's ordered I be locked in my room! What kind of person are you? Did you tell your servants to keep my dog from me as well?"

"I couldn't have your dog in the house," he said. "Animals don't like me."

Belle could have sworn she heard a hint of sadness in his voice. "Then why not just let me go earlier? And why keep me locked in my room?"

"You were exhausted, I thought it might be nice if you had some rest. As for locking you in the room…I have my reasons."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"You wouldn't believe me," he said and Belle could just make out an outline of a shoulder as he turned and began walking away.

"Try me!" The rumbling laugh reached her ears and now Belle wasn't so sure she wanted to know the man's reasons. But her mouth betrayed her. "Come on! What are your reasons for locking me in the room?"

There was silence and Belle tapped her hand on her thigh with impatience. "That's what I thought. You're just some weirdo out here in the woods. I'm leaving! I don't care if I'm lost!" She turned away and started back the way she'd come when she felt a rush of wind and then heard the crunch of gravel as something heavy stood before her.

"Just remember, you asked for this," he said, his voice coming from the spot a few feet in front of her.

Belle took two steps back as she felt the man move toward her. The moonlight slowly fell over wrinkles in clothing forming over a huge muscled arm. It swam up over a powerful shoulder and continued up a neck that was covered in what seemed to be a lot of hair.

When the light fell on the man's face, Belle put her hand to her mouth and bit down hard on her cheek to keep from gasping. Before her stood not a man, but something like one and also like an animal. Hair, or fur, grew all over his massive head and his nose was flattened and shaped like a cat. She watched as one side of his mouth curled up and his lips opened over a row of dangerous looking teeth. Giant ram-like horns jutted from either side of his head. Looking down for a second, Belle saw that he wore no shoes and his feet were furred and his toes ended in sharp claws.

She stood there just staring at the beast, her eyes wide in fright, but unable to move. His mouth opened as he prepared to say something and that's when her instinct took over and Belle turned and ran, Denali right on her heels. The pain in her ankle was only a dull throb thanks to the adrenaline that had kicked in. She ran like she never had before. There was no way she could stay here. She would make it back home or to someone else's cabin and call the authorities to help her find her father. It didn't matter that she could very well get lost even worse along the way. Anything was better than staying in a house another minute longer with something like him.


	7. Chapter 6

buChapter 6/b/u

Into the woods Belle still ran and behind her erupted a roar unlike any she'd ever heard. Sleeping ravens were roused from their trees and flew off into the night with rude calls. Suddenly, she stopped. That roar seemed familiar. Then it hit her. That was what she'd heard over the satellite phone when she was still home.

Her father had met the beast. Then, if he was still alive, he must still be inside the gigantic house. Belle turned to look back at the way she thought she'd come. Unfortunately the trees were so thick she couldn't see a thing and now that she had stopped, the adrenaline was beginning to seep out of her. She began to shiver. Looking up between the tops of the trees, she saw that clouds had started to cover the sky.

Now she wasn't sure she wanted to go any further. She knew she was hopelessly lost and it was getting colder by the minute. It could very well snow before morning and without her jacket she could freeze.

Beside her Denali whine and nudged her in the leg. "Should I go back?" she asked the dog as she patted his head. Denali wagged his tail feebly. "I guess that's a yes?" She sighed and began walking, following the trail of broken things and disturbed brush.

What seemed like hours later, the snow began to fall and Belle could see her breaths coming out in great puffs of mist. Her whole body shook and she was beginning to feel tired, but she kept walking.

There was a nice layer of snow on the ground when Belle stumbled and fell to her knees. Denali nudged her and licked her face. Throwing and arm around his neck, Belle hugged him close.

"I think I may have lost my trail," she said weekly to the dog. "And I'm so tired, Denali." In response she yawned. She mumbled something and then curled up in the snow and leaves and fell asleep. Denali made a soft bark and a whine. Belle didn't wake. With another whine, Denali curled up against her and put his head down.

When the sun had begun to rise, a crunching noise put Denali on alert. He raised his head and a low growl sounded in his throat. The noise grew louder and soon the beast stepped through the branches of trees. He saw the girl lying there and the dog guarding her. At the sight of him, the dog growled louder and his hackles rose.

"Quiet down," Adam grumbled to Denali. "I'm not here to harm her." He stepped close and Denali rose and began to bark, his teeth bared. He sighed heavily. "Sleep, dog." Denali's body wavered and then he collapsed to the forest floor. "You should have passed out long ago." He lumbered over and hefted the dog over his shoulder. Belle he placed in the crook of his elbow, her head rolled to his chest and she sighed and snuggled into him.

Looking down at the girl, he felt his heart skip a beat and he shook his head and began the walk home. It would take longer with the weight of the two.

When he finally arrived at the house, the sun was getting high over the horizon. Simon ran out to meet his master. "Take the dog," Adam ordered Simon and the man, though hesitating a second, reached out and took Denali. "Tell Rose to make some soup for the girl. She's been out in the cold all night." He cradled Belle closer to him and walked into the house, leaving a bewildered Simon behind him.

Adam placed Belle in her bed and covered her well. He stood for a moment to look at her. Her mouth was parted ever so slightly and her brown hair fanned out around her neck and shoulders. He started to reach out to brush a stray strand that had fallen over her cheek, when he heard a noise at the door. Turning, he saw Trevor standing there.

"Has your mother started the soup?" he asked the boy.

"Yes, sir. She said it would be ready in a few minutes." He looked at Belle. "Is she alright?"

"She'll be fine. The dog kept her fairly warm last night."

Trevor walked to the bed and looked at Belle now. He didn't shudder at Adam's nearness. He was the only one who wasn't bothered by it, but Adam never felt that the boy liked him. "She fell asleep from the spell?"

"That and probably she was weary. I must have frightened her quite a bit."

"It's only-" The sound of the door closing stopped Trevor and made him look back. Adam had gone.

What awoke Belle late in the afternoon was that it was too hot. She began to toss and turn and after kicking the blankets off her, she woke up and looked around. She was back in the room inside the beast's house. Sighing she realized she realized she must have fallen asleep in the woods again. Then she began coughing.

The door opened and Trevor peeked in. When he saw she was awake, he walked over to her and felt her head. Belle felt like a child now. "What are you doing?" she asked when Trevor took his hand away.

"You have a fever," he said. "I think you got sick while out in the cold. My mom has some soup for you. Are you hungry?"

"I could eat," she replied and Trevor left to get her some food.

It was Rose who came back with a tray with a steaming bowl of soup on it and a glass of water. She set the tray on the nightstand and pulled a chair over to the bedside.

"How about you sit back so you can eat?" Rose said as she took a seat. She leaned forward and put a pillow on top of another and Belle sat back. Rose set the tray on Belle's lap. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't feel as sick as it sounds," she answered before starting her meal.

"That's good." She fell silent and stared at the window with its new curtains. "So you saw him?" asked Rose, still not looking at Belle.

"Your master?" Belle inquired, putting her spoon down. Rose nodded. "I saw a monster," she said quietly. "That's the owner of this house?"

"He is."

"How does something like that even exist?" Belle forgot her soup and watched Rose who looked Belle in the eye.

"He was cursed nearly fifty years ago. He used to be human."

"Curses are real things? What else is real?"

Rose laughed and shook her head. "I'm not sure. I suppose if there are such things as spells that can turn a man into a monster, then other things must exist, but I have yet to hear of anything."

"I suppose that's some comfort. Imagine all the horrible things that could be living." She and Rose both shuddered at the thought. "Rose?" Belle said suddenly.

"Hm?"

"Have you seen an older man around here? I was looking for my father when I came this way. He had his satellite phone with him and the last thing I ever heard from it was a animal-like roar. I heard your master make the same noise when I ran last night. It has to be him who found my father. Please, if he's here, tell me." Belle watched Rose's face, urging the woman to say what she wanted to hear.

"I'm sorry, dear, but I haven't seen a man other than my husband and the gardener around here," Rose replied after a moment. "Maybe something else found your father."

"But what else around here could make a noise like that? I've heard bears before and they don't eve come close to what I heard. It was…chilling."

"I don't know." Rose stood and moved the chair back to where she'd gotten it. "I just remembered I have to go and make dinner. Enjoy your soup. I'll send Trevor up to get the tray in a little while." With that, Rose left the room and Belle heard the click of the lock after the door was shut.


	8. Chapter 7

"Did you still want me to send the girl away, sir?" Simon asked as he helped Adam to dress.

"No, there's no point in it now. She's seen me. If we send her back she could very well bring the world knocking at my door. It's a risk I can't take."

"So…" Simon hesitated. He knew Adam hated any mention of the curse but he must understand how precious little time he had left. "Will you try winning her over?"

For a moment it looked as if Adam was going to shout, but he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I very much doubt she'd have anything to do with me after the fright of seeing me."

"I don't know about that, sir. She seems like a strong young woman. Maybe give her another chance?"

Adam growled and Simon took that as his dismissal. With just himself in the room, Adam sighed and dropped into a wing-backed chair by the window. It was reasonable to try and court the girl but Adam hadn't been around a woman, other than Rose, in nearly fifty years. He'd never tried to woo a girl as a beast. How could he get her to like him when he looked so hideous?

Movement outside brought Adam's attention to the garden just below his window. Trevor walked there with the giant dog beside him. Adam liked Trevor. The boy was smart and sure of himself. It was a bonus that he wasn't afraid of Adam at all. If only Trevor felt friendly towards Adam.

Suddenly, Adam stood. He left his room and quickly headed downstairs and out the back door to the garden. When his feet hit the gravel path, Trevor looked his way but said nothing, only scratched the dog behind the ears then bent down to pick up a stick and threw it.

By the time the dog had come back with it, Adam was standing within a few feet of the boy. They stood in silence for a few moments as Trevor threw the stick again and they watched the dog search for it among the brush at the edge of the woods.

"What's the dog's name?" Adam asked quietly.

"Denali," Trevor replied as he wrestled the stick from Denali's jaws.

When Denali was bounding away, Adam slowly asked, "Trevor, could I possibly ask your advice on something?"

The boy turned to Adam with a puzzled look on his face and studied his master for a moment then shrugged. "Sure, go ahead."

"I was wondering what would one do to court a woman when he had no decent looks to even dream of?"

Trevor paused in the middle of his next toss. Denali whined until the boy threw the stick again. "You do understand that I've practically lived my whole life here, don't you? I wasn't even interested in girls before we moved here. I mean, I was," he added quickly, "but none of them moved me to try and court them."

"Still, you must know something."

"Are you saying I'm ugly?"

Adam looked over at Trevor, afraid he'd offended him, but he saw the twinkle in the boy's eyes and chuckled. "No, you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do." He sighed, in thought. "Well, I suppose becoming their friend can't hurt. They'll talk to you, tell you things about themselves, things you can use to win them over."

"Like what?"

"How the hell should I know?" He tossed the stick as hard as he could, slightly frustrated.

"I'm sorry, Trevor," Adam suddenly said. "I didn't know the spell would affect those I was around most. Had I known, I never would have hired your father."

For a moment Trevor was silent, his eyes hard as he stared out into the woods. "It's not your fault. The witch didn't tell you about this part."

"No, she didn't, but I could have been doing something all these years to set us all free. Instead I wasted all this time and now we're almost out of it. Which is why I'm out here asking you for advice. I want to win the girl over but I need help."

"Hm. Well first you might could start by allowing her some freedom. The poor girl's been locked in her room. She doesn't know why and she's scared her father's been eaten by the scary beast who lives here." Trevor smirked at Adam.

"I could let her out, but then that would mean I'd have to stay in my room."

"I don't think so. Belle's seen you now. She knows what to expect. I think she just ran off last night because she was so shocked."

"I guess so." Adam thought a moment. "Maybe one of you could tell her that I'd be around so not to get scared if she runs into me."

"Maybe, but I doubt she'll be out and about any time soon anyway."

"Why's that?"

"She's sick. Being out in the cold all night wasn't good for her, obviously." He knelt down and scratched Denali. The dog threw himself on the ground and rolled over, exposing his stomach, his paws waving in the air as he begged for more scratches.

"Is there anything I can do? Something to help her get better faster?"

Trevor laughed. "You already seem to like her."

"No," Adam defended. "I just – she's the only eligible woman who's found her way her since we moved here and this is my last chance. I can't have her cooped up in her room the whole time.

"Yeah, okay, whatever you say." Standing, Trevor scratched his head. "I don't think there's much you can do. She'll get better when she gets better. Though it could be a while since she'll most likely be bored out of her mind before long." He looked up at the sky. "Well I better get back inside so I can help my mom and dad." He started for the kennels to put Denali away. "If you need any more advice, I'm around."

Adam didn't need any more advice at the moment. He knew exactly what would help Belle. He rushed inside to get it.

Belle had fallen back asleep after she ate, but something brought her from her fevered dreams and into reality. A soft knock sounded at her door. Turning, she saw the shadow of feet by the door.

"Come in if you're going to come in, I can't open the door. It's locked, remember?" She rolled back over and closed her eyes.

The lock clicked then and she heard the door creak slightly as it was opened. Something made a very soft thud as it was set on the nightstand. The door shut again and Belle waited for the lock to click but it never came.

Quickly she rolled over. On the nightstand was a thick book with a folded piece of stationary on top. Picking both up, she read the title of the book, iPride and Prejudice/i. With a small smile she set the book in her lap and opened the letter.

iDear Ms. Belle,

I am terribly sorry for giving you such a fright last night. That was not my intention. Though, I will say that you asked for it, literally. I heard that you weren't feeling well and I understand how dull this house can be on a day to day basis so it must be even more so when you're sick and stuck in bed all day. I'm not sure if you prefer to read but I thought this was as good a way to pass time as any. I hope you like it. Jane Austen one of my favorite authors. It might seem odd that I prefer an author who writes mostly of romance, but it is something that has eluded me for many years, so I live vicariously through the characters on the pages.

Get well soon,

Adam/i

She was stunned. His penmanship alone was remarkable but for something- someone like him to be a lover of books was something else entirely. Belle set the letter aside and cracked open the book as she settled in for a long read.


	9. Chapter 8

Hello all, this is a fake chapter which will be taken down in a day or two. I am here to ask you all for your help. I really want to give you guys another chapter to read but I am at a complete loss as to where to start with it. So I thought you all might have some fun telling me what you'd like to read next.

So you don't have to go and look at the recent chapter, I'll just remind you that Belle is sick and Adam has taken advice from Trevor and is trying to make her illness a little more bearable. He's given her a book to read and a note to explain himself. But what should come next?

I just need some ideas to help get things rolling, I know once I get going everything will fall into place. So how should I begin this next chapter?

All ideas are welcome as long as they're rated, at most, PG-13. I believe I've rated the story overall M but that's just for in case I feel like using an excess of cursing or something. So that just cuts out sex and too much violence.

I will pick the idea(s) I like the most and use them. If I feel some may work well later on in the story I will save them for them. I will be sure to credit those the ideas belong to when the chapter they appear in is posted.

I figured this would be an awesome way to get rid of the little writer's block I have going on. I knew if I didn't get something done soon, this story would sit untouched for another few years and I don't want that to happen again. So here I am getting you all involved. I thought that'd be pretty fun. I know I'd love it if I could tell my favorite authors what I'd like to read in their next piece.

Thanks you all in advance! ^_^


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